Ex-NPAs urge Caraga rebels to rejoin gov't
By Venus L. Garcia
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte,
May 15 (PIA) -- The former members of the new people’s army (NPA) terrorist
group are urging their former allies who are still active in the resistance
against the government to find their way back to the mainstream society.
Edward Gultia, a teacher who
previously served the Tribal Filipino Program in Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) for
19 years, revealed that the school is not accredited by the Department of
Education and is run by New People’s Army (NPA).
“What were inculcated to us during
exclusive gatherings in a secluded and mountainous part in Surigao del Sur
where these NPA rebels inhabit are plainly the same with what were being taught
to the students of TRIFPSS,” revealed Gultia, adding that the learners would
grow up hating the government.
Sonny Boy Acebedo, a former
student of the TRIFPSS, also shared how the NPA rebels had indoctrinated the
students by influencing them to adopt radically different beliefs against the
government, and by teaching them on how to manipulate and use firearms at a
very young age.
According also to Datu Jomar
“Nahikyad” Bocales, municipal tribal chieftain of Lianga, Surigao del Sur, the
ideas and principles taught in the TRIFPSS and Alternative Learning Center for
Agricultural and Livelihood Development, Inc. (ALCADEV) schools are contrary to
the democratic system of government, wherein the Lumad students were motivated
for rebellion.
This, according to him, was
confirmed by his contacts within the circle of the NPA movement.
Rico Maca, indigenous peoples
mandatory representative (IPMR) of San Miguel municipality in Surigao del Sur,
also said that the NPA operators of the TRIFPSS and ALCADEV schools barred the
implementation of DepEd’s Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) curriculum
framework in the area.
“It’s very obvious to see how
these TRIFPSS and NPA are closely related. In fact, they are even into killing
of the Lumad leaders who support the imposition of IPEd in the
communities," he said.
The former NPAs hope for the
active rebels to return and profess their loyalty anew to government so they
could live a more meaningful and peaceful life. (VLG/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Workers trained on new communication
techniques
BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte, May
15 -- About a hundred of population workers and volunteers from different areas
of Caraga were trained on effective Interpersonal Communication and Counseling
(IPC/C), as a core strategy for facilitating behavior change among clients leading
to the attainment of desired healthy behaviors.
In the IPCC on Family Planning
(FP) training workshop conducted by the Commission on Population and
Development (POPCOM)-Caraga, Director Alexander A. Makinano disclosed that the
three batches of non-health service providers including population workers were
equipped with practical information, skills, techniques, and resources to
improve the quality and assess the effectiveness of interpersonal
communication, counseling, and group communication to strengthen the delivery
of health services at their respective area.
POPCOM emphasized that the
training workshop helped the frontline non-health service providers maximize
the one-on-one provider-client interactions to accurately assess the health
concern of the client that caused to visit to the facility and offer a viable
solution.
The agency, on the other hand,
stressed that most provider-group interactions are organized for health
education, and the conduct of various family planning demand generation
activities like Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning class, and Usapan
sessions.
The training workshop also helped
enhance the effectiveness of non-health service providers in conducting these
sessions to enable their clients or the couples, particularly those with unmet
need on modern FP, to practice modern FP method of their choice and eliminate
unintended pregnancies among social-economically poor women. (POPCOM Caraga/PIA
Caraga)
PPA remits record-breaking P9.4-B in dividend, taxes for 2018
MANILA, May 15 -- The Philippine
Ports Authority (PPA) continued its strong fiscal performance in 2018 as it
remits P3.5 billion in dividends to the national coffers for 2018.
On top of this, the state-owned
agency likewise paid P5.9 billion in taxes for 2018, more than half of total
taxes paid in the last 10 years.
Overall, the PPA is contributing a
record-breaking amount of P9.4 billion in terms of dividends and taxes to the
national government for the past year, which can be used for the government’s
various social welfare, health and other projects.
Latest data from the PPA showed
that total dividends for 2018 amounts to P3.5 billion, setting another all-time
record for the PPA. Last year, PPA remitted some P3.1 billion, its highest
recorded dividend in the last 30 years. Dividend payment for 2018 overshadowed
last year’s dividend and marks PPA’s highest dividend payment in its history.
While growth percentage slowed
down for the period covered, the increase in dividend remains high as the 2018
figure is 13 percent higher than the 2017 dividend.
PPA is mandated to remit at least
50 percent of its annual net income to the national government after it was
granted fiscal autonomy during the term of President Corazon C. Aquino.
Meanwhile, total revenues for 2018
reached P17.49 billion or 8.13 percent higher than the target for the year. The
amount is also higher by P14 percent compared to the total revenues recorded a
year earlier.
According to PPA general manager
Jay Daniel R. Santiago, the agency’s performance in the past two years has
placed the PPA on stable financial ground which will enable it to continue
sustaining port services of the highest standards.
“This was achieved amid the
agency’s massive infrastructure spending in port repair, modernization and
development in support of the government’s Build, Build, Build program for the
Philippines to achieve the ‘golden age’ of infrastructure,” Santiago said.
Santiago added that the
streamlining of port processes and aligning it with global standards coupled
with strategic port development and modernization have greatly contributed to
this strong performance.
“This is also a testament to the
resiliency of the Philippine economy as it continues to thrive despite external
pressures from different foreign economies,” Santiago said.
With this, the PPA is expected to
once again land in the higher echelon of the ‘Billionaires Club’ of Government
Owned and Controlled Corporations contributing billions of pesos in dividends
to the National Government. PPA is a consistent member of this club in the last
decade but belonging only to the bottom half of the club. It only upped the
ante when the new administration took over in 2016. (Philippine Ports
Authority/PIA-Caraga)
POPCOM eyes to end spousal violence
BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte, May
15 -- Mainstreaming gender equality as part of its continuing advocacy to
address issues in population management, Commission on Population and
Development (POPCOM) Caraga heightens its implementation of various Gender
Responsive Population Strategies (GRPops) at the local level, in close
coordination with program partners and stakeholders.
POPCOM emphasized that the
interrelationship between gender and population matters have been continuously
taken into account in the implementation of the Philippine Population
Management Program activities through its three major program components,
namely Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning (RPFP), Adolescent Health and
Development (AHD), and Population and Development (POPDEV) Integration.
POPCOM hopes that everyone in the
community shall actively support the various programs of the government.
The Commission also believes that
through concerted efforts of the various sectors in the society and when there
is equality, Filipinos can build stronger, healthier families, strengthen
communities, and create a safe environment for their children.
To further intensify its advocacy,
POPCOM Caraga facilitated Gender Sensitivity Training among personnel of the
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Butuan City Jail and the local
government employees of San Agustin Municipality, Surigao del Sur.
The activity oriented the
participants on Gender Concepts including gender issues that exist in the
organization and households.
Director Alexander A. Makinano of
POPCOM Caraga reiterated that population issues cut across gender issues such
that human sexuality, gender roles and expectations, and gender socialization
ultimately affect values, attitudes, and emotions manifested by the individual.
To recall, in the preliminary
results of the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) released by
the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Caraga has the highest percentage
(15%) of ever-married women age 15-49 who ever experienced sexual violence
committed by their husband/partner among other regions.
On the 2013 NDHS, Caraga Region
was previously placed third with 7.6 percent.
Violence against women and
children (VAWC) is one common type of gender-based violence that exists in the
society and it is one of the barriers to women empowerment and development.
(POPCOM Caraga/PIA Caraga)
POPCOM, DOLE boost family planning in private
firms
BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte, May
15 -- Various private companies with 200 workers or more in the region were
trained on Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning (RPFP), organized by the
Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) Caraga in coordination with
the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Caraga.
As agency members of the POPCOM
Board of Commissioners (BOC), POPCOM underscored that the activity aimed to
assimilate the RPFP program in their respective workplace, incorporate in the
HR budget, and extend the program to people’s organizations under their
agency.
Provision of RPFP information and
services in the workplace both in the public and private sectors is one of the
priority strategies under the said program.
The RPFP priority strategies are
geared towards assisting couples to achieve their desired number, timing and
spacing of children within the demand of responsible parenthood through
effective family planning.
To further heighten its advocacy,
POPCOM Caraga has recently conducted another RPFP in the Workplace
Seminar-Workshop in Butuan City and Surigao del Norte, targeted the private
companies with 200 employees and above. (POPCOM Caraga/PIA Caraga)
